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Eddie Bauer Women's Sun Valley Down Jacket Review

A budget friendly jacket what will keep you looking good, dry and warm all winter long
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Eddie Bauer Women's Sun Valley Down Jacket Review
Credit: Eddie Bauer
Price:  $250 List
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Manufacturer:   Eddie Bauer
By Liz Williamson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 12, 2018
75
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Warmth - 30% 7.0
  • Weather Resistance - 25% 8.0
  • Comfort - 20% 7.0
  • Style - 20% 8.0
  • Durability - 5% 7.0

Our Verdict

Eddie Bauer hit the nail on the head with the Sun Valley Down Jacket. This stylish, water-resistant parka won't break the bank. It's insulated with 650 fill down and does a great job keeping us comfortable in the cold. When wearing it, we have no trouble being outside when temperatures started to drop. Though it's only water-resistant, we are impressed by how it handles wet weather. The jacket's above-average warmth and weather protection combine with durable construction and versatile style to provide a great value. That's why the Sun Valley wins our best buy on a budget award.
REASONS TO BUY
Budget-friendly
Warm
Water-resistant
Form fitting
Faux fur ruff
Lots of colors
REASONS TO AVOID
Runs small
Short sleeves
No interior pocket

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


eddie bauer women's sun valley down jacket - insulated with just the right amount of 650 fill down, cold weather...
Insulated with just the right amount of 650 fill down, cold weather didn't stand a chance against this stylish and cozy winter jacket. The hood and faux fur ruff add extra warmth and protection on crisp mornings or in stormy conditions.
Credit: Aimee Doran

Warmth


During testing, the Sun Valley's 650 fill down kept us warm when temperatures stayed around freezing. Once temperatures started to drop below that, we noticed that our arms were cold in the sleeves. This tends to be a problem with a lot of jackets. If you live in a climate that gets very cold, check out our Best Buy on a Budget award winner, the Marmot Montreaux, which is insulated with plush 700 fill defender down.

This jacket's interior cuffs are made of soft fleece and do a great job of blocking out cold air and keeping us warm. The hood fits pretty snug, but there is just enough room for a beanie, but we like how it fits because it keeps our head warm on its own. The faux fur ruff around the hood adds bonus protection when the temperatures drop or are caught outside in the elements.

eddie bauer women's sun valley down jacket - super soft and comfortable, we loved the internal cuffs on the sun...
Super soft and comfortable, we loved the internal cuffs on the Sun Valley Down Parka. Despite the jacket's small fit and short sleeves, we still enjoyed this feature, especially on cold mornings.
Credit: Aimee Doran

Weather Resistance


For a non-waterproof jacket, the Eddie Bauer does a great job of repelling water! The shell has a StormRepel® durable water-repellent (DWR) finish. When we test this jacket outside in rain and snow, we are impressed by how easily water beads up and rolls off. After an extended period in the elements, the jacket did start to saturate, but it took a lot of time and water for it to get there. If you live in a climate that is primarily wet during the winter months, check out our Top Pick for wet weather, the Patagonia Tres Down Parka. If you like the Sun Valley, and live in an environment that tends to get more snow than rain and want something warm and waterproof, our Editors' Choice Award Winner, the North Face OOuter Boroughs may be perfect for you.

The snug fitting hood works well in cold temperatures, wind, and stormy weather. The super cozy fleece cuffs are great, but when they get wet, it takes a while for them to dry.

eddie bauer women's sun valley down jacket - we love the quality and look of the faux fur ruff around the hood...
We love the quality and look of the faux fur ruff around the hood. The hood fits snuggly and detaches, so does the faux fur ruff, allowing you to switch up your look.
Credit: Aimee Doran

Comfort


This jacket is comfortable, but it does run small. If you like to layer up in the winter or want something that is not form-fitting, consider ordering a size up. The sleeves are a bit short as well. Even with the interior sleeve cuffs, the sleeves often left our wrists cold and exposed when we reached for anything.

Still, this jacket has a few standout comfort features like fleece-lined exterior pockets, cuffs, backing on the inside. Jackets with fleece-lined pockets keep us warmer in cold weather than jackets that don't.

There is also fleece on the inside of the collar, which is soft and feels nice against our chin when the jacket was zipped all the way up. Weighing in at 2.2 lbs, this jacket is lightweight.

eddie bauer women's sun valley down jacket - stylish, form-fitting, water-resistant, and it won't break the bank...
Stylish, form-fitting, water-resistant, and it won't break the bank? You heard us right. These are some of the many reasons why the Sun Valley won our Best Buy on a Budget award.
Credit: Aimee Doran

Style


We were turning heads left and right in the Sun Valley Down Jacket. Simple and sleek, you can wear this jacket running errands around town or out on a fancy occasion. This jacket's fabric has a subtle, iridescent sheen, due to a metallic cross-dyeing process, and we totally loved it. There are also eight color options to choose from. The exterior fabric is also great at repelling dirt and staying clean.

This jacket has a form-fitting look. There isn't a cinched waist, but we don't find it necessary, because of how well it fits. The hood has a faux fur ruff, and we like how it almost had a tint of silver in it. That complements the color options, as well, as the silver zippers on the exterior of the jacket.

eddie bauer women's sun valley down jacket - this jacket is form-fitting and looks great from all angles, but...
This jacket is form-fitting and looks great from all angles, but keep in mind that it runs small. Consider ordering a size up.
Credit: Aimee Doran

Durability


The jacket's outer shell is mainly polyester, and it's more durable than we expected. During a couple of months that we tested this jacket, we didn't notice any of the exterior stitching coming undone. We didn't run into trouble with any of the zippers either. The North Face Outer Boroughs Parka has a more durable outer shell that is waterproof and windproof. If you are someone that likes to throw around their winter jacket this may be a better option.

eddie bauer women's sun valley down jacket - fleece lined pockets for the win! a great hand-warming feature that...
Fleece lined pockets for the win! A great hand-warming feature that not every jacket offers.
Credit: Aimee Doran

Features


There are four exterior pockets. The two hand pockets have super cozy fleece-lined pockets and zippers; then there's a zippered chest pocket and a sleeve pocket that is secured with a snap. We would like to see an interior media pocket in this jacket, but life's hard sometimes. We love the soft fleece collar, removable hood with a faux fur ruff, and fleece lining in the back of the jacket.

eddie bauer women's sun valley down jacket - subtle soft features like fleece in the collar stood out on cold...
Subtle soft features like fleece in the collar stood out on cold days when we had to have the jacket zipped all the way up.
Credit: Aimee Doran

Value


This jacket stole the show in terms of value and won our Best Buy on a Budget award! There are a lot of factors that go into deciding what makes a jacket worthy of a Best Buy Award. Some budget-friendly jackets have only one high-quality and budget-friendly feature, the Sun Valley has many. It is highly water-resistant, stylish, form-fitting, and is a great price. It's also a high-quality coat. Eddie Bauer did a great job manufacturing this jacket.

Conclusion


We are impressed with the Eddie Bauer Sun Valley. Besides running a bit small, this jacket has many great qualities. It it's a great jacket for someone on a budget.

Liz Williamson